Dark Ones
The Dark Ones (capitalized in the games, decapitalized in the novel, and original Russian: Чёрные "Blacks") are sentient humanoid creatures, supposedly descended from humans who survived the nuclear apocalypse and adapted to the new world. Overview Though rarely seen, the Dark Ones serve as the driving antagonists throughout both iterations of Metro 2033, in which they pose as a new mutant threat aggressively descending from the surface to Artyom's home station of VDNKh (Exhibition, in the video game). Metro 2033 In both the novel and game, the Dark Ones began their existence living in a 'beehive' on the surface at Botanicheskiy Sad (Botanical Gardens) metro station, which is located north of VDNKh station, Artyom's home. They weren't bloodthirsty beasts as most of the inhabitants of the Metro believed, but sentient beings wanting nothing more but peace with humanity. Unfortunately Metro citizens didn't understand their desire to live in symbiotic society, thus "striking back" before any attempt to create peace was ever made. As the Dark Ones would approach VDNKh in long strides, trying to simply walk into the station, the station guard would fire upon them out of fear, desperation, and a sudden onset of madness. It's revealed in The Gospel According to Artyom, and suggested by the opening scene in Metro Last Light, that the Dark Ones never intended for the death of humans, yet their very presence and psychic influence drove the humans mad, and they subsequently killed each other. It is because of the "threat" of the Dark Ones that Hunter first arrives in VDNKh, and it is through him that Artyom begins his journey in the metro, to save his home. Despite this, through the Metro 2033 video game the Dark Ones continually try to get Artyom to understand their intent. They projected peaceful and nonthreatening images at several points in the game such as visions of children playing happily in a prewar playground or leaves on a tree to show him that they only want peace and understanding. Equally so in the novel, it is somewhat implied that the Dark Ones were also committed to protecting Artyom throughout his journey by telepathically sending various protectors that would help him when the time came. Though afflicted by a reoccurring set of ever-expanding visions in the novel, it was never enough to make Artyom stop and consider the possibility of peace. As revealed vaguely in the novel, but moreso in the epilogue to the Metro 2033 novel: the Gospel of Artyom, and Metro Last Light, Artyom's past also involved Dark Ones. Some time after arriving in VDNKh, Artyom along with Eugine and another child often went exploring as children. In one adventure they traveled north to the gardens, and opened the airlock there to get to the surface - the same airlock the Dark Ones would one day use to walk down into the metro from. While exploring, Artyom is attacked by mutants (dogs in most cases, watchmen in Last Light). Moments from imminent slaughter, he is saved by a Dark One. As a child, Artyom's sanity is not effect by the Dark One - who on the contrary, empathizes with Artyom. Stating he is alone in the world without his mother, in Last Light, the Dark One reassures Artyom that he is not alone - but "the first". Through their brief psychic contact, Artyom is rendered immune to the Dark Ones - who in turn, accept and "adopt" him to be the chosen - the bridge between the two races. In as Artyom ages however, he remembers his journey to the Gardens but forgets his encounter with the Dark One - leaving him well equipped to be both their demise, when he should have been their savior. In the end of the novel, after Artyom reaches Ostankino Tower he can see the Dark Ones moving around their 'beehive' much like ants around a nest. Sensing Artyom, the Dark Ones then desperately tried to convince Artyom to trust them, completing his visions and elaborating to them their message of peace, and that he was their adopted chosen one that would unite man with Dark One. Unfortunately when Artyom finally understands his purpose it was too late - the missiles destroyed the Dark Ones' nest leaving Artyom conflicted and mortified. This end to the Dark Ones was altered in two manners in the Metro 2033 video game. Firstly, in order for a more developed climax, the Dark Ones are depicted as being far more desperate - and less inclined to share with Artyom their original intentions they had with him. Instead, a Dark One manages to follow Artyom up the tower - psychically assaulting him as he's setting up D6's missile guidance system. In the non-canonical Enlightened ending that is available to the player if they have garnered enough Moral Points, Artyom wakes from the encounter before the guidance system is ready for launch. Here, inspired by Khan's words of enlightenment, he is offered the chance to knock it off the tower and save the Dark Ones as his attacker pleads that he stop. The standard and canonical, "Ranger" ending however, has Artyom waking too late to do anything about the missiles, and feeling simply puzzled and sentimental over the destruction of the Dark Ones - wondering if maybe something had been lost along with the race. It is only in Metro Last Light, and the comic adaption of The Gospel According to Artyom ''that Artyom begins to feel scorched over the loss of the Dark Ones - in him beginning to learn of their rejected message of peace, and remembering of his "adoption". Metro Last Light Though thought destroyed, the Dark Ones return in Metro Last Light in more ways than one. Primarily, as the baby Dark One, the sole survivor of the D6 missile strike. As a target of the Rangers, the baby Dark One was to be killed by Artyom and Anna, and escaped them, yet only to be captured by Nazis. Psychically afflicting a Nazi with the image of his son, the Dark One was sold to a Hansa freak-circus - instead of being sent to a Nazi firing line. As news of the baby Dark One spread, it caught the attention of the Red Line general, Korbut. Korbut, originally planning to create an army of domesticated Dark Ones that would serve the Red Line, and help his take-over of the metro, soon sought out to seize the last Dark One. The plan falls through, when Artyom and Khan rescue the Dark One from the apprehended the crashing Hansa train. Despite at first being the one assigned to kill the baby, Artyom decides to save it and the two form a partnership. Traveling together, Artyom expresses his regrets over the destruction of the Dark Ones, just as the Dark One learns of what it is to be human. Together, along with Khan, the three of them learn of D6's best-kept secret - a nest of hibernating Dark Ones. As the battle for D6 begins, the Dark One leaves Artyom to save his surviving kin. Dependent on the player's Moral Points acquired in the game, the tide of the battle for D6 is considerably changed by the Dark Ones. In the standard depressive, C'est la Vie ending, the Dark Ones go unheard from, and D6, and everyone in it, are destroyed - yet in the alternate Redemption ending, the crippled Rangers are saved at the last moment, by the second coming of the Dark Ones - who proceed to attack, and in turn, annihilate the Red Army, and secure victory for the heroes. The last yet heard of the Dark Ones, as either transcribed down in history, or directly to Artyom, is that the Metro is not to be their home any more. For reasons, only marginally elaborated upon, the Dark Ones state that they must leave humanity for a time, though vowing to return one day. The last, canonical, shot of the Dark Ones, has the Dark Ones marching off into the sunset of a nuclear spring, with Artyom speaking Khans words that the baby Dark One was an angel sent down from the heavens, an icon of forgiveness, and "the last light of hope in a kingdom of darkness". Morphology and Appearance When encountered, Dark Ones prove to be very dangerous, mainly due to their telepathic abilities. While stronger and more durable than a typical human, they are still fairly weak when compared to other mutants, capable of being taken down with five shots from a revolver, but their psychic abilities more than make up for this. The direct appearance of a Dark One is quite strange. They have long arms and legs, all quite thin. The arms end in large hands that have long fingers. The skin color, just like many other mutants, is a dark ash-grey color. Despite their physical appearances, the Dark Ones are very closely related to humans, in terms of biology. However, the dark ones are much better adapted to the recently ravaged post-apocalyptic world. ''Homo novus as they are referred to, have evolved to be highly resistant to radiation, cold temperatures, and have extra-sensory perception, which in Last Light, is depicted as a perception of both blood and aggression. The Dark Ones are not capable of vocal communication, but they are able to communicate telepathically amongst themselves and with other beings. However, their telepathic powers are too strong for humans, and if they try to communicate with them without properly controlling these powers, they will inadvertently destroy the being's mind. Using these powers, they are able to create realistic illusions by manipulating the mind of their target, and are similarly able to induce fear telepathically to scare their enemies away. The Dark Ones share a form of collective consciousness and communicate telepathically. In the Metro 2033 video game the Dark Ones are able to telepathically speak to Artyom, being able to manipulate his mind, or sending him into a dream-like state. The Dark Ones state to Artyom in the final chapter of the Metro 2033 novel that they no longer have any ability or understanding as to how to create and use technology and so are approaching mankind on a joint venture, they help mankind survive and in return mankind can again come to the surface and rebuild civilization. One of the questions set by the novel is would humans really be co-species with the Dark Ones or is that in fact some form of slavery? The question is left unanswered, and the reader is permitted to formulate his/her own opinions about whether co-existence would have worked or not. Another theory on their creation is one proposed by Khan after learning of the hibernating Dark Ones inside D6. He believes that the Dark Ones might have actually been genetically engineered before the war (perhaps as telepathic soldiers immune to radiation). If that is true then the experiment appears to be a failure since the Dark Ones are pacifists and dislike killing. Related Achievements Trivia * "Homo novus" means "new man" in Latin. * The content of the epilogue to Metro 2033 ("The Gospel According to Artyom") suggests that the Dark Ones find it easier to communicate with adolescents. The point below on drawings supports this idea further. Metro 2033 Video Game * The first encounter of a Dark One is actually of one's ghost. Artyom collides with it on Chase and enters its mind games, seeing Hunter shoot it. This likely means that Hunter killed this dark one at some point entering/leaving Exhibition, and it's infinitely reliving its final moments. * It has been speculated that Artyom was not the only one to by contacted by the Dark Ones. They are shown on several occasions to scour the dead city with little to no trouble and a notable number of children's drawings contain tall humanoid figures. ** One of dead stalkers found at the beginning of Depository has drawn the same tall figure on the floor with his knife before perishing as well. Gallery Dark one Dream.jpg|First dark one encounter during chase Dark_one_lost_catacombs.jpg|Second dark one encounter during Lost Catacombs level Darkone1.jpeg|Third dark one encounter during Dead City 1 level DarkOne2.jpeg|Fourth dark one encounter during Dead City 1 level DarkOne3.jpeg|Fifth dark one encounter during Dead City 1 level Dark_one_black_station.jpg|Sixth dark one encounter during Black Station Metro2033_(2)_2010-03-19_11-58-03-86.jpg|Seventh dark one encounter during Dark Star level Slider_0001.jpg|Eighth and last dark one encounter during Ethereal Dark_one_top_02.jpg|Ditto Dark_one_top_03.jpg|Ditto Dsfdaf.jpg|Dark one during 'Enlightened' ending. DarkOneConceptArt.jpg|Dark One official concept art. Bildota.jpg|Dark ones were supposed to appear much often in Metro 2033 beta Dark_ones_beta_0002.jpg|Ditto BlacksOnline.jpg|Concept art of the blacks for the Russian Metro 2033 Online 252751-header (1).jpg|A dark one in Metro Last Light. 66c7d5bc84bf85549f9dd8a6f0e8683f.jpg|The young Dark One in Metro: Last Light. dark one destruction.jpg Category:Factions Category:Mutants